steve clements1
Peziza ampliata - microscopy
The scale - which Carol provided via her stage micrometer - is at 10 micron intervals. The spores were max 21 length in water but slightly larger in the neat food dye. As Carol points out - spores tend to be measured in aqueous ammonia - which is nasty stuff - so meaurements of spores will vary somewhat depending what you use. Top left - water. Top right, a discharged spore which ought to be the ones you measure - but the frosted specimens produced very few. Top centre the barely swollen-tipped simple paraphyses. Bottom left, asus and spores in Melzer's - the tip stains blue (not so with Tarzetta). Bottom middle, the ascus "lid". Bottom right, ascus and spores in red food colouring.
Peziza ampliata - microscopy
The scale - which Carol provided via her stage micrometer - is at 10 micron intervals. The spores were max 21 length in water but slightly larger in the neat food dye. As Carol points out - spores tend to be measured in aqueous ammonia - which is nasty stuff - so meaurements of spores will vary somewhat depending what you use. Top left - water. Top right, a discharged spore which ought to be the ones you measure - but the frosted specimens produced very few. Top centre the barely swollen-tipped simple paraphyses. Bottom left, asus and spores in Melzer's - the tip stains blue (not so with Tarzetta). Bottom middle, the ascus "lid". Bottom right, ascus and spores in red food colouring.